“From India’s perspective I think they haven’t done themselves any favours,” McGrath said in commentary for Channel 7.

“They have got caught up in the hype and felt this pitch was going to do everything, bounce, pace, carry, seam. They have looked to bowl Australia out. But they’ve bowled two lengths, too short, and too full. They have just put it there.”

Former Australian Test captain Ricky Ponting said he was also caught off guard by the tame deck.

“I’ve been really surprised at how little this wicket has actually done,” Ponting told Seven.

“I know (India) didn’t utilise the new ball as much as they could, but there hasn’t been much movement off the seam at all and the bounce has been consistent.”

Wicket that was suppose to be full of bounce - lot of cuts & pulls of the Backfoot, and what we have seen so far are some crunching front foot drives.... where is that venomous Perth pitch. #AUSvINDhttps://t.co/5zPtrmKUDZ

Australia built a 112 run partnership, the first partnership to go past 100 against India since December 2016, ending a run of 23 Tests.

India's Umesh Yadav came into the side and took the wicket of Usman Khawaja.Source:AP

But what may have worried Virat Kohli was the fact that Vihari came on to take two key wickets.

Marcus Harris cruised to 70 before a ball inexplicably bounced off a length and caught the edge of the youngster’s bat.

“It was great to get a few away and get past 26 finally,” Harris said on Cricket 360. “And to have a good partnership with Finchy as well. It set us up really well.

“The pitch is playing a few tricks now so hopefully we can push past 300 tomorrow and you never know.

“I just went and had a look at the pitch just then and there are a few cracks. It’s obviously playing a few tricks. It’s not normal for it to play like that on day one.”

The decision is particularly baffling given expectations the pitch will break up late in the test and provide spinners with plenty of cracks to aim at.

“It’s really warm today and with some hot weather around we expect it will crack up a bit,” Paine said at the toss of the coin.

Saw some footmarks developing after just one session of play....no spinner to exploit that. Today or in the third innings. Also, it’s too green otherwise, pitch and the square, for the ball to start reverse... #ausvind#7cricket@7Cricket@1116sen

In the Sheffield Shield match at Perth Stadium the pitch was similarly green but reportedly the ball left indentations on the surface which baked and hardened through the match - something Jadeja's straight stump lines could exploit effectively later in the Test. #AUSvIND

Former Test spinner and Fox Cricket commentator Kerry O’Keeffe said of the decision: “I death ride any team that doesn’t go in with a specialist spinner”.

This is not the job Ravi Jadeja wanted.Source:AFP

Former Australia captain Allan Border said the Indian attack looked unbalanced.

“I do think it’s good to have that variety in attack, and the India pace bowling they were tremendous in Adelaide. They got through the heat and the conditions of all five days, they kept running in so I don’t think they need another one,” Border said.

“A spinner would have been ideal later on in the game in particular.

“One of Australia’s weaknesses in the past few years has been left-arm spin.”

With Vihari taking two of the six wickets in 14 overs across the day, India may rue the selection decision.

FINCH GRINDS IN OPENING SPOT

Australian opener Aaron Finch insists he didn’t feel like he had a point to prove entering the second Test against India at Perth Stadium.

Finch was under huge pressure to perform after his double failure in Adelaide, with some critics suggesting he wasn’t up to the task of taming the new ball.

Coach Justin Langer resisted the urge to drop Finch down the order, and the 32-year-old repaid the faith with a gritty 50 off 105 balls in scorching 39-degree heat.

His 112-run opening stand with Marcus Harris (70) gave Australia a strong foundation, with the home side reaching 6-277 at stumps on a tricky Perth Stadium wicket.

Now that’s how you play that cover drive.Source:AAP

Finch is still trying to establish himself in the Test side, but said he hadn’t been affected by the recent heavy criticism levelled at him.

“You never play to prove anyone wrong or prove a point, or for any other ambition other than to get your side in as good a position you can,” Finch said.

“Some days you have a good day, other days you have a shocking day.

“That’s a part of the game, and it’s part of opening the batting in Test cricket. It’s good fun. There’s never a dull moment.”

Finch’s innings was finally brought undone when he was trapped lbw by a full Jasprit Bumrah delivery.

By that stage he had already won over plenty of admirers for his gritty knock.

Why should the media be involved in altering the mentality of a player? Pressurising the player is one thing. Disturbing the mentality of a player is completely different. That is just not on at all!!! @melindafarrell your thoughts on this?!?? #AUSvsIND

Tim Paine urged umpires to crackdown on no balls during his pre-match press conference in Perth.

“I’m glad it’s been brought up and certainly been spoken about,” Paine said.

“I don’t think it’s a great look for the game.

“Hopefully they police it really well this game.”

PAINE BREAKS TOSS DUCK

In what Australians can only see as a good omen for this match, Tim Paine has finally broken his first losing streak as captain.

The Aussie captain had lost his first four tosses as captain, matching Richie Benaud and Billy Murdoch from the 1880s with four. Murdoch lost his first five.

Australian captain Tim Paine won his first toss — is it an omen?Source:AAP

Funnily enough, it comes a day after Paine said it would be a good toss to lose.

“Yeah it will be I reckon (a good toss to lose),” Paine said.

“It feels pretty firm underneath. I think it’ll actually play pretty well for the first couple of days.

“I really don’t think it’ll play that badly. I’ve played an ODI here and a Twenty20, and both of those wickets looked really green, and played really well.

“This wicket might play really well.

“It is what it is, and whatever you’re doing you need to start really well.”

Luckily for Australia, Paine won the toss and batted, despite the juicy green top.

Indian captain Virat Kohli said he also would have batted first because of the way the pitch has broken up late in recent Sheffield Shield matches.

With Perth’s Optus Stadium getting its first taste of Test cricket today, it was a relative unknown for all the players.

With Paine also the first captain of Australia in 90 years to go winless in his first four matches, it’s a good way to break the hoodoo as Australia built what is thought to be a competitive first innings score.

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